19 New CA Laws You Need To Know About For 2022

LOS ANGELES, CA — Golden State lawmakers spent 2021 codifying into law the lessons of the last two tumultuous years. From carryout cocktails to a ban on police restraints that suffocate, many of the new laws taking effect in 2022 were plucked straight from the headlines of 2020-21.

Here are 11 categories of new laws that take effect next year across California.

1: One For the Road

When restaurants shut down in-person dining early in the pandemic, the laws governing alcohol sales were loosened, allowing restaurants to sell to-go liquor. The move helped compensate for the loss of dine-in revenue. Businesses and customers liked that so much, it’s here to stay through 2026, thanks to Sen. Bill Dodd’s (D-Napa) SB389.

2: Extra Ketchup And Spoons, Please

If you like ketchup with your fries or need a spoon to eat your Blizzard, you’re going to have to ask for them. Assemblymember Wendy Carrillo (D-Los Angeles) authored AB1276, which bars restaurants, drive-thrus and food delivery apps from handing out plastic utensils and condiments unless requested by a customer.

3: Universal Vote By Mail

There is little about the pandemic that can be described as popular, but California’s pandemic-prompted universal mail-in ballot system proved to be the exception. Thanks to AB37 by Assemblymember Marc Berman (D-Menlo Park), all active registered voters in California will automatically be mailed ballots in all future elections, beginning in 2022.

4: "Stealthing" Banned

"Stealthing" refers to the nonconsensual removal of a condom during sex, and California passed the nation’s first law making it illegal. Under a new state law by Assemblymember Cristina Garcia (D-Bell Gardens), stealthing is considered a form of sexual battery, and victims can sue for civil redress.

5: Spousal Rape Crackdown

California criminalized marital rape in 1979, but the crime doesn’t carry the same weight as rape outside of marriage. Another bill by Garcia makes spousal rape equally punishable, with mandatory prison time and sex offender registry for anyone convicted of spousal rape.

6 - 8: Housing Red Tape

California’s housing and homeless crises go hand in hand. Much to the frustration of city councils across the state, lawmakers targeted local zoning and building restrictions to allow for more affordable housing units to be built.

SB9 by Sen. Toni Atkins (D-San Diego) streamlines the process for property owners to add second units, divide large lots or convert homes into duplexes.

Additionally, two new laws authored by Sen. Scott Wiener (D-San Francisco) make it easier to increase housing density in certain areas. SB10 eases the environmental review process for cities rezoning properties near public transit to allow for more density. SB487 eases restrictions that tie the square footage of a building to lot size, allowing for more units in apartments complexes.

9: On The Job

Amazon made headlines for warehouse quota systems that resulted in workers being afraid to take bathroom breaks. California is the first state to ban massive retailers from firing warehouse workers over quotas that interfere with rest breaks under AB701.

The measure also bars companies from disciplining workers for following health and safety laws and creates an avenue for employees to take legal action over unsafe quotas.

10: Gender-Neutral Toy Section

When you shop at Target in 2022, you’ll be able to swing by the gender-neutral toy display. AB1084 requires major retailers to have a gender-neutral area in addition to aisles that segregate boy's toys from girl's toys.

11: Timely Health Care

SB221 requires insurance companies to reduce wait times for mental health and substance abuse treatment and to provide timely follow-up care.

12 — 17: Policing The Police

In the wake of the murder of George Floyd at the hands of police, California’s Legislature passed a slate of laws to crack down on police use of force, misconduct and disciplinary transparency. They also seek to improve training and education of officers.

Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) authored AB490, which prohibits the use of restraints that risk suffocating a suspect.

AB48, by Assemblymember Lorena Gonzalez (D-San Diego), bars police from firing rubber projectiles and tear gas at protesters if the situation is not life-threatening.

Assemblymember Reggie Jones-Sawyer (D-Los Angeles) authored AB89, which raises to 21 the minimum age to become a police officer.

In response to lawsuits and federal investigations into allegations of deputy gangs within the Los Angeles County Sheriff’s Department, Assemblymember Mike Gipson (D-Carson) authored AB958, which allows departments to fire officers for joining a law-enforcement gang.

Assemblymember Chris Holden (D-Pasadena) wrote AB26, which instructs police agencies to require officers to report when they see a colleague use excessive force. Officers who witness excessive force but don’t intervene will face punishment.

Lastly, SB16 by Sen. Nancy Skinner, (D-Berkeley) makes public any records related to excessive force, unlawful searches and other misconduct.

18, 19: Criminal Justice Reform

Decades of tough-on-crime laws led to mass incarceration in California. But state legislators have targeted sentencing laws for reform.

SB81 by Skinner authorizes judges to give more weight to mitigating factors such as childhood trauma when considering sentencing enhancements.

Wiener’ SB73, goes even further, ending mandatory minimum sentences for drug-related crimes that are nonviolent.